The Cheltenham Festival gets underway in the English Cotswolds today and will see tens of thousands of Irish racegoers make their annual pilgrimage for the Olympic Games of horse racing.
Flights to Birmingham, Bristol and London will be packed, as will the ferries and the private jet terminals.
Ireland has dominated proceedings in recent years to an extent unimaginable back in the 1980s when there was a two-year period with only one Irish-trained winner, Galmoy.
These days it is closer to 20 that will be expected and the majority might well be trained by Willie Mullins who saddles the favourite for today’s Champion Hurdle State man and a host of others with strong chances.
Horse Racing Ireland will be present to promote travel and horse purchases that are the bedrock of the domestic industry and there will be bookmakers galore, sponsors with strong Irish connections, and more.
Each ticket printed off to gain admission will do so through the Irish-based Future Ticketing who won the contract late last year.
2024 is the 100th anniversary of the world-famous Cheltenham Gold Cup and the racecourse is celebrating with a collection of compelling portraits that capture some of the unsung heroes connected to the iconic race.
The photography features both those who have been instrumental in making the iconic Cheltenham Festival race what it is today and those who will be defining the next 100 years.
In advance of the landmark running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which first took place in 1924, individuals from across the nation were invited to visit the home of Jump racing with the centenary celebrations just days away.
With each person symbolising a significant moment from the century-long history of the Gold Cup or representing what the race could be in the future, a one-of-a-kind living timeline has been constructed that illustrates the evolution of the iconic horse race.
From seasoned racing veterans to long-standing local business owners, the wide range of stories that accompany the unique portraits showcase just how many communities have been inspired by the Cheltenham Gold Cup over the last century, as well as those who could be inspired to be part of its next 100 years.
Gemma Collins, whose three-year-old daughter, Koa, was photographed and whose father, Dudley Coombs, was a racehorse owner, commented, “Cheltenham is rooted in me, with my father taking me from when I was a child to watch our horses race. I’m immensely proud to be part of a family who has seen a century of stories involving the Gold Cup. My daughter absolutely loved being at Cheltenham Racecourse and having her portrait taken. I can’t wait to continue taking her there and for her to be part of the next generation at Cheltenham Festival.”
Freedom Zamapaladus, Founder of The Urban Equestrian Academy, which aims to open doors in the equestrian world for a younger, more diverse generation and whose students were photographed, commented, “It has always been our mission to inspire the younger generation and open doors that have not been visibly present into the world of equestrianism. For some of our students to be part of the 100-year celebration of the Gold Cup will have been hugely inspiring and who knows, perhaps we could have given a future Gold Cup winner their first taste of Cheltenham.”
“The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup represents one of the pinnacles of our sport, and its centenary is a milestone moment that we feel honoured to be able to celebrate.,” said Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of the Jockey Club.
“These unique portraits, coupled with our commitment to provide 100,000 opportunities for young people over the next ten years not only reflects the extent of the Gold Cup’s power to inspire, but also allows us to look forward and show how we can help power the next 100 years of this historic contest, and continue to grow the appeal of racing as a whole.”
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